World Polonia Games

World Polonia Games (Polish: Światowe Igrzyska Polonijne) is a sports event, organized every two years for members of Polonia and Polish minorities living outside of Poland. The Polonia Games are divided into winter and summer events, and the purpose of the event is to bring Polish expatriates closer to the land of their fathers. Usually, there are up to 1500 participants from around 25 - 30 countries of the world.

Opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter World Polonia Games in Zakopane

First Polonia Games took place in 1934 in Warsaw, with 400 athletes of 13 countries. Then the idea was abandoned, and did not return until the 1990s. After a long break, the 1974 Games were organized in Kraków, but Communist government banned participation of ethnic Poles from Soviet Union. The Games are now organized by the Association "Polish Community", with support of the President and the Polish Parliament.